The proliferation of electronic and electrical devices is a key factor fueling an ever-increasing demand for additional alternating current (AC) outlets at home, on the road, and in the workplace. Often there are too many devices and not enough outlets. Additionally, devices including calculators, phones, and laptops use AC to direct current (DC) power converters (commonly called wall-bricks) to connect to AC power outlets. Due to their non-standard bulky form-factors, wall-bricks often take up more than one outlet, exacerbating outlet-shortage problems and driving users to seek solutions.
A popular remedy is to use multi-outlet power strips. However, these power strips provide an ineffective solution because they fail to adequately address all of the problems created by, and associated with, the increasing prevalence and use of wall-bricks.
For example, a user who owns six devices buys a power strip. While connecting the equipment, the user realizes that two devices use wall-bricks. Upon plugging the bricks into the power strip, the user discovers that only two or three of the six outlets remain open, leaving at least one outlet short. After spending $25–$200, the user expected to be able to use all the outlets, but now must buy one or more additional power strips to plug-in the remaining devices.
Low-cost power strips provide additional outlets, but do not adequately condition or stabilize incoming power, increasing the risk of equipment malfunction or outright failure. Moderate to high priced surge protectors perform well, but bulky wall-bricks often cover multiple outlets, reducing the number of devices that can be connected.
Additionally, wall-bricks often generate heat and electrical interference in addition to passing along the ambient AC conducted sags, spikes, surges, and noise generated by the power-grid and carried along AC power-lines throughout industrial, office, and residential settings. Electrical power disturbance events cause data loss and damage equipment. Wall-bricks pack and travel poorly, create cable-clutter, and are an eyesore.
Damaged equipment and downtime costs are a growing concern among users. As technology has advanced, business, commerce, home, and industrial users have become increasingly dependant on the health of the networks that supply and manipulate data and information. Additionally, the growing emphasis on network speed and the sheer volume of transactions that can take place in a fraction of a second make the prospect of downtime that much more ominous. The cost to business and industry of human or naturally caused power surges and outages has become substantially more detrimental.
It is clear from the statistical evidence that power conditioning is a vital issue and one whose importance is only going to increase. Clean, constant, noise-free power is required to ensure the proper operation, and to protect the delicate circuitry, of today's electronic and electrical devices.
Presently, systems and methods are needed that simultaneously solve outlet-shortage and transient voltage surge and noise problems. New systems and methods are needed to eliminate wall-brick issues and other identified problems.